491.006 Licensure or certification by endorsement.—
(1) The department shall license or grant a certificate to a person in a profession regulated by this chapter who, upon applying to the department and remitting the appropriate fee, demonstrates to the board that he or she:
(a) Has demonstrated, in a manner designated by rule of the board, knowledge of the laws and rules governing the practice of clinical social work, marriage and family therapy, and mental health counseling.
(b)1. Holds an active valid license to practice and has actively practiced the licensed profession in another state for 3 of the last 5 years immediately preceding licensure;
2. Has passed a substantially equivalent licensing examination in another state or has passed the licensure examination in this state in the profession for which the applicant seeks licensure; and
3. Holds a license in good standing, is not under investigation for an act that would constitute a violation of this chapter, and has not been found to have committed any act that would constitute a violation of this chapter.
The fees paid by any applicant for certification as a master social worker under this section are nonrefundable.
(2) The department shall not issue a license or certificate by endorsement to any applicant who is under investigation in this or another jurisdiction for an act which would constitute a violation of this chapter until such time as the investigation is complete, at which time the provisions of s. 491.009 shall apply.
(3) A person licensed as a clinical social worker, marriage and family therapist, or mental health counselor in another state who is practicing under the Professional Counselors Licensure Compact pursuant to s. 491.017, and only within the scope provided therein, is exempt from the licensure requirements of this section, as applicable.
History.—ss. 15, 19, ch. 87-252; ss. 7, 19, 20, ch. 90-263; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 21, ch. 95-145; s. 12, ch. 95-279; s. 509, ch. 97-103; s. 169, ch. 99-397; s. 32, ch. 2000-242; s. 45, ch. 2020-133; s. 8, ch. 2022-63.
